Jap was my first thought but i think they are mostly too expensive
happy to be proven wrong
Hey there
My friend is looking to get a small cheap run around (second hand) and is thinking of a Clio.
Does anyone know of anything to lookout for on them?
Suggestions of other small cars welcome although she needs to sort something out fast.
Thanks again
Rup
yes - get something Japanese.
I think she is looks around the 1200 mark
Jap was my first thought but i think they are mostly too expensive
happy to be proven wrong
what's expensive? a car that cost a bit more to start with or a car that costs loads in repair bills?
If she is coming to you for advice you should advise her that french cars are crap and should be avoided.
If she still chooses a clio then you have at least given the best advice 
Edit: ask her why she thinks the french cars are cheaper - is it perhaps because they are better than Japanese ones? - I think not
[Edited on 5/2/10 by mookaloid]
hehe - have just done exactly that
Is now looking at the yaris
Yaris - good call
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
Yaris - good call
Firstly, let me come out of the closet.....I like French cars...there I said it.
All of them I have owned have been utterly reliable, very cheap to run and mostly fun to drive. Had a lovely Clio until wifey decided 3 doors was not
enough for sprog duty. Make sure you go for 16v version if 1.2, 8v is painful.
Current motor is Pug 307 HDi. stupid economy (averages 60 mpg whatever we do with it!), big inside for kid stuff and my bikes , comfy and quiet at
motorway speeds.
Had a Citroen ZX diesel, 250k miles and was still going strong when I sold it.
I just can't fault the cars I've owned.
Also got an Alfa 156, it's currently off the road, it broke....
quote:
Originally posted by l0rd
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
Yaris - good call
Specialy now that TOYOTA a Jap car manufacturer which produces reliable cars has recalled so many cars.
Yes
An excellent choise.
[Edited on 5/2/10 by l0rd]
Would be a Mk2 Punto for me at that money. Mates lad got one last year for £1175 1.2 8v on a 51 plate with 60k on the clock. Been absolutely great car and goes really well.
quote:
Originally posted by richardR1
Would be a Mk2 Punto for me at that money. Mates lad got one last year for £1175 1.2 8v on a 51 plate with 60k on the clock. Been absolutely great car and goes really well.
I have had several myself and would have one again. I find it hard to recommend them though - they can be a bit tempremental
quote:
Originally posted by Marcus
Firstly, let me come out of the closet.....I like French cars...there I said it.
quote:
Originally posted by Marcus
Also got an Alfa 156, it's currently off the road, it broke....
Ain't nothing wrong with French cars, just have to live with the querks.
I love my Diesel megane
my other half has got a micra. its s reg had it from new and the only work that its ever needed was a cv boot couple of tyres and its normal
service.
its still on its first set of brake pads!!
not bad for a 12year old car i challenge anyone to name something more reliable.
Ask any AA or RAC man what they think about French cars. I learnt my lesson the hard way - breaking down on the M25 3 miles outside Heathrow trying to take the family on holiday.
I tend to buy what I like and ignore advice from everyone
The Alfa is one hell of a car (when it works).
I drove my old ZX to Cannes when it had 225k on the clock against everyones advice, same with the Locost the following year.
I have this irrational dislike of cars made by Ford or Vauxhall, they're just too popular. Now I know that's for a reason, ie they
ain't bad, but I'd rather drive something different, just give me Italian or French and I'm happy (maybe german too but not VW)
Clio's have major (expensive) problems with chaffing and susequent corrosion of the wiring loom close to where it goes into the engine ecu.
Thats on top of the usuall french electrical niggles such burnt out heater resistors.
The engines have also a reputation for premature cam belt failure.
Nissan are now regarded in the trade as being as bad as Renaults, my daughter bought a new Nissan Note just over 2 years back, it eats front tyres
(at 28k miles it is well into its 3rd set and she generally isn't hard on tyres) , has had new front wishbones due to bush wear, a new AC
compressor and a whole host of niggling build quality problems.
Also of course the problems with the diesel engines they share with Renault are well known while the Nissan Navara pick-up has only picked up a lot
of very unhappy owners.
The VW Polo is too expensive and is starting to be regarded as having poor reliability.
Fiats are just Fiats cheaply built cars with Italian electrical system that don't take well to the UK climate.
Vauxhall are like Fiat too many corners cut to build a cheap car.
The only sensible choices are Toyota, Mazda, Kia, Ford and to coming up last Peugeot.
[Edited on 5/2/10 by britishtrident]
I suspect there will be a lot of cheap toyota's on the market in a short while.
Grab one while you can.
quote:
Originally posted by iank
I suspect there will be a lot of cheap toyota's on the market in a short while.
Grab one while you can.
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
my other half has got a micra. its s reg had it from new and the only work that its ever needed was a cv boot couple of tyres and its normal service.
its still on its first set of brake pads!!
not bad for a 12year old car i challenge anyone to name something more reliable.
The biggest problem I've seen on French cars seem to have is the interior ages really badly, They last though if you look after them. Old Micras
are Great, everyone I know who's had one says you can get a huge amount of stuff in them and they drive well. My Dads Note goes through tyres
really quick aswell, and its got odd wheels so he can only get Pirellis and Continentals.
Spend half the money and save the rest to spend on servicing, the reason cheap cars don't last is because people don't want to spend any
money on normal upkeep stuff and cause major damage as a result of neglect.
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by l0rd
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
Yaris - good call
Specialy now that TOYOTA a Jap car manufacturer which produces reliable cars has recalled so many cars.
Yes
An excellent choise.
[Edited on 5/2/10 by l0rd]
All manufacturers have had costly recalls in the past. The thing is that Toyota are taking responsibility for their mistake rather than brushing it under the carpet, and for that they should be praised.
quote:
Originally posted by Marcus
II have this irrational dislike of cars made by Ford or Vauxhall
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
my other half has got a micra. its s reg had it from new and the only work that its ever needed was a cv boot couple of tyres and its normal service.
its still on its first set of brake pads!!
not bad for a 12year old car i challenge anyone to name something more reliable.
True 12 years ago but Nissan are no longer Nissan but just a brand owned by Renault Nissan Alliance.
"Renault owns a 44.4% stake in Nissan, while Nissan owns 15% of Renault. "
Nissan effectively went under in 1999 only to be absorbed by Renault.
Since Renault took over full control in the year 2000 Nissan have made massive cuts in build costs with reliability and build quality to Renault levels.
As a guy in a motor trade forum put it Renault will go down in history for destroying Nissan's bullet proof reputation.
[Edited on 5/2/10 by britishtrident]
I work for Renault and I wouldn't buy one either lol.
Thanks for the help everyone!!
Great stuff
I think she is going to try and get a yaris which seems to be quite a good move.
There unfortunately is no perfect car... fingers crossed.